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Internship program

At CQUniversity, we are committed to equipping our students with real-world skills, up to date industry knowledge and networking opportunities before they graduate. Placements and internships play a crucial role in developing your employability and maximising your employment prospects.

Since its inception in 2015, CQUniversity's internship program has had a positive influence in what we do to deliver the best possible overall student experience for our international students, one that includes the opportunity to gain hands-on work experience during their studies, at no additional cost or extension to the duration of their course.

Top achievements

Student placements have grown by approximately 50% year on year.

To date approximately 300 international students have been placed.

Placements are spread across three key cities: 40% in Sydney, 40% in Melbourne and the rest in Brisbane.

Students gain work experience in both government and private sectors.

Host organisations span engineering, IT and hospitality industries – from rail technology frontrunner, to world leaders in data science and research, to eminent hotel chains, to international aviation giant.

The growth we are seeing in enrolments in courses with internships are indicators that we are on the right path in terms of providing a platform for our students to gain invaluable work experience. The growth also shows that students are now beginning to place greater importance on the opportunity to gain experience during their studies.

Working in an organisation in your area of study allows you to build networks in that field that may open doors for you in the future.

An internship will give you a competitive edge in the global job market and increase your chances of full-time employment once you graduate.

You will enhance and develop skills in teamwork, decision-making and communication while having the chance to put your academic knowledge into practice.

You will gain an understanding of Australian work practices and culture.

Key features

The internship will give added value to your degree but at no extra cost.

The internship is offered over a 10 week period. You will not be required to undertake any other units during this period, which means you will be able to concentrate on your internship and get the most from the experience.

The duration of your degree is not extended, which means you can still complete your bachelor degree in three years and your masters degree in two years.

The internship is found for you by CQUniversity and our Internship Partners – market leaders in career development programs for international candidates.

You will undertake the relevant prerequisite course which ensures you have the knowledge to succeed in an Australian working environment.

How does it work?

The following is a step by step guide on how you will undertake an internship:

Follow the unit schedules for your course. If you are a business student you must complete the prerequisite Effective Business Communications and if you are an IT student you must complete the prerequisite Professional Skills in Information Communication Technology.

Choose your preferred industry by completing an application form.

Participate in an interview with our Australian Internship Partners to clarify your goals so we can find you an organisation that will best fit your needs.

CQUniversity and our Australian Internship Partners will search for companies in your preferred industry from a network of over 3000 organisations.

We contact an appropriate company, negotiate on your behalf and set up an interview.

We coach you and host mock interviews to get your interview skills on point.

You must then complete an interview with the selected organisation to be successfully placed. Don't worry, if you don't get it right the first time you are given two more chances to secure a position.

Your placement begins.

You will be assigned a dedicated Internship Program Supervisor (IPS) who will monitor your training and provide one on one guidance and support throughout the course.

Unit schedule

The following is an example unit schedule when an internship is selected as part of a masters course:

Term 1 – 2018: Four units (2 core and 2 foundation)

Term 2 – 2018: Internship (12 credit points)

In most cases students must study in Term 3 and study a full-time load in Term 1 and Term 2. Postgraduate courses require a minimum of five terms of study. Undergraduate courses require a minimum of seven terms of study.

“Joining Capgemini as an intern gave me the opportunity to work in a professional environment. As an intern, I was not just there to get coffee or run errands but I was here to gain actual work experience. The internship helped to teach me more about the career path that I am pursuing. Think of it like this – internships are a way to test drive possible jobs and explore different career options. This valuable experience will definitely help me to kick start of my career after my study.

My most memorable moment came when I was offered a full-time position within my internship company. I would definitely recommend every student to go on an internship because they are a proven way to gain relevant knowledge, skills, and experience while establishing important connections in the field. Internships are also a way to get your feet wet and find out if a specific field is something you could see yourself doing as a full-time job.”